SportThe 9 oddest coach and GM firings in NFL history

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The NFL is a tough business. From the players to the general managers, job security is always on a razor-thin line. While every offseason sees players, coaches and general managers get hired and fired, there are a few front office decisions that are a little odder than the rest.

We'll start off with the most recent oddball decision and work our way backward through time.

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New York Jets, Mike Maccagnan, 2019

Firing a general manager isn't an unusual thing during the offseason. But usually, it happens quickly after the season and not following free agency, the draft and right before OTAs kick off. Yet the Jets decided to move on from Maccagnan in the middle of May.

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It's not a good look for a team that spent huge amounts of cap space on several high-profile free agents and six picks in the 2019 NFL draft, including the third-overall selection. What's perhaps even odder is coach Adam Gase becomes the interim general manager because New York hasn't found Maccagnan's replacement yet.

Even if the Jets are able to find a good general manager, that person is going to have a roster filled with recent contracts and draft picks they might not like. Even the best case scenario could cause New York to extend their rebuilding period a few more years while they sort it all out.

San Francisco 49ers, Jim Harbaugh, 2014

A contentious relationship between Harbaugh and owner Jed York led to an unusual firing. In spite of guiding San Francisco to the postseason in three of his four seasons, as well as a Super Bowl loss in 2012, an 8-8 showing in 2014 would see Harbaugh fired.

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According to Harbaugh on "The TK Show," he had been informed the team was going to fire him before the season had even ended. York would release a statement that Harbaugh had been fired and the decision was "mutual" immediately following the 49ers Week 17 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

The 49ers have yet to recover in the four seasons following Harbaugh's departure, going no better than 6-10 in that time. Harbaugh would be hired by Michigan, continuing the success he had in San Francisco with a 38-14 record and four bowl appearances in four years.

San Diego would hire Norv Turner as their next coach and start the 2007 season 1-3. Fans quickly showed their displeasure, chanting for Schottenheimer during their Week 4 30-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Marty Schottenheimer, Kansas City Chiefs, 1998

Schottenheimer makes the list yet again and he isn't done yet. You'll notice a similar theme throughout Schottenheimer's career. He'd win games but ultimately be ousted due to not winning enough in the postseason. The Chiefs are no exception to that theme, where Schottenheimer would go 101-58-1 over 10 years leading the team.

In his second year with Kansas City, Schottenheimer led the Chiefs to an 11-5 record. It would mark the most wins in a season by Kansas City since 1969. Schottenheimer would see continued success in the regular season but quick exits in the playoffs, only getting to the AFC championship game once in spite of seven trips to the postseason. He'd eventually take the brunt of the blame and resign.

The Chiefs would continue to falter the rest of the way, going through six coaches in 20 years. Kansas City would only get to the postseason eight times in that 20-year stretch, getting to the AFC championship game only once (last season).

Bill Belichick, Baltimore Ravens, 1996

You probably never thought you'd see Belichick on this list. But with Cleveland Browns owner moving the team to Baltimore as the Ravens, things got a little convoluted.

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The Browns would start the 1995 season 3-1 before the news started to leak the team was moving, finishing 5-11 on the year. After assurances from Modell that Belichick would remain the head coach of the eventual Baltimore Ravens, he was fired.

The circumstances might not be the most unusual the NFL has ever seen but it definitely marks a head-scratching moment given what we know now. Belichick would eventually become the coach of the New England Patriots and start that dynasty. Meanwhile, Modell and the newly established Ravens would hire former Colts coach Ted Marchibroda, who would spend three seasons going 16-31-1.

Jimmy Johnson, Dallas Cowboys, 1994

It's unusual to see Super Bowl winning coaches get fired. It's even rarer to see a coach leave immediate after winning back-to-back Super Bowls. But that's exactly what happened to Johnson in 1994 after winning Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII.

Johnson and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would agree to mutually split after battles over control. Johnson had been adamant he made all the personnel moved, which Jones disputed. It would come to a head when Jones famously told reporters, "500 coaches could have won those Super Bowls," helping lead to the split.

Jones and the Cowboys would win Super Bowl XXX just two years later, but it would be the last time they'd even get to the NFC Championship Game. Johnson became the coach of the Miami Dolphins, posting a 36-28 record in spite of making the postseason three times in four years.

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Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland Browns, 1988

Schottenheimer has had a rough time in the league. Much like his tenure with the Chargers and Chiefs, he had posted five winning seasons (44-27) with Cleveland and still ended up leaving.

Schottenheimer would take the Browns to the postseason in each of his final four years with the team. However, injuries during the 1988 season would see Schottenheimer try to win with third-string quarterback Mike Pagel in the wild-card round. In spite of losing only by one point - 24-23 - Modell would decide to move on from Schottenheimer.

Schottenheimer would frame the decision to leave as a mutual agreement due to some issues with Modell.

"It became evident that some of the differences we had, we weren't going to be able to resolve," Schottenheimer said, per the Washington Post's Michael Wilbon. "We came to an agreement that it was in everybody's best interest that we part company."

Modell had wanted to bring in an offensive-minded coach, but settled for career defensive coordinator Bud Carson. Carson would go 11-13-1 in his two seasons before being let go as well.

Thomas continued his practice of jettisoning veteran players, trading Unitas, Tom Matte, Bill Curry, Billy Newsome, Norm Bulaich and Jerry Logan in 1973. Thomas would dismiss Sandusky after the season, eventually hiring Howard Schnellenberger before taking over as the coach himself for the 1974 season.

Paul Brown, Cleveland Browns, 1963

Much like the Cowboys' situation, Modell and Brown fought for control of the team. Brown had been used to making personnel moves before Modell had bought the team but bulked at the new owner's attempts to get involved. Eventually, frustrations grew between the players and Brown, giving Modell a reason to move on.

Brown had been the Browns' coach for 17 years, finishing with a 158-48-8 record. He had won four AAFC championships as well as three NFL championships in the 40s and 50s. Brown only had one losing season in 17 years - the 1956 season Cleveland went 5-7.

If you're keeping track at home, Modell fired two of the best coaches the NFL has ever known.

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Donahue, 74, was 151-740-8 (.665) in 20 years as the Bruins coach with a record 98 conference victories among the program-best 151 wins.

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